BOCC 3/16/04

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" rowspan="2" width=210 BGCOLOR="#99CC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="0968dfc3.jpg"> <div> <A HREF="id179.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="BOCC Meeting Notes 1/1/04 6/30/04"><U><B>BOCC Meeting Notes 1/1/04 - 6/30/04</B></U></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=130 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="0978dfe1esnpes.jpg"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#336666" FACE="Arial" ><B>Welcome to the Web Site of Clare Whitbeck</B></FONT><B>     </B><B>|</B><B>     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Welcome to the Web Site of Clare Whitbec"><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id180.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="BOCC 1/6/04"><U>BOCC 1/6/04</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id182.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="BOCC 1/13/04"><U>BOCC 1/13/04</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id186.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="BOCC 2/3/04"><U>BOCC 2/3/04</U></A>   |   <B>BOCC 3/16/04</B>   |   <A HREF="id187.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="BOCC 3/23/04"><U>BOCC 3/23/04</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id184.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="BOCC 4/6/04"><U>BOCC 4/6/04</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id199.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="BOCC 4/20/04"><U>BOCC 4/20/04</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id200.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="BOCC 4/27/04"><U>BOCC 4/27/04</U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=350 colspan=2 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="0978dfc3.jpg"> <div> <I>BOCC 3/16/04</I></div> <div> When I arrived, the BOCC was hearing about the new museum director.  Then they approved a public hearing for three agricultural Land Preservation Districts.  </div> <div> The Sheriff’s budget was next.  </div> <div> The Sheriff was well over the budget target he was given, he said, but he believes they need the officers they have asked for.  In S. Mary’s County, said the Sheriff, 28 law enforcement officers and five correctional officers  were assaulted.</div> <div> He introduced his staff.  He brought 8 people with him.  Rape in the County is down, but robbery is down since last year.  Motor vehicle theft is increasing in the community.  According to the FBI, theft is up from 58 to 133. Part One crimes have risen by 14% since 1999.  Part two offenses, such as fraud, sex offenses, drug violations, child abuse have increased.  Drug offenses have declined, but the Sheriff believes that is because officers don’t have time.  Further, his office has refocused on getting higher ups in the drug chain.  There used to be 3 or 4 more officers doing drug work.  His chart shows the concentration of crimes around First Colony and long Rt. 235.  Colton’s point has had an increase, but 49.5% of the crimes in a 3 year period took place in the 4<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >th</FONT> commissioner district.  Response time has increased by about 2 minutes since 2000.  Officers spend about 30 minutes on the scene for each call received. Sheriff Zylak said there is very little time to people to be proactive.  The newly formed Bureau of Criminal Investigations has a 93% closure rate and a 2% rate of cases suspended for lack of progress.  Calls for service have increased by 20% since 1999.  The State Police has responded to over 42,000 calls.  Officers have been instructed not to make arrests on the scene unless absolutely necessary.  Making an arrest at the time of the call leaves other officers without backup.  Charges are preferred when the officer returns to base.  Traffic citations have decreased, but the State police have written over 70% of the citations.  The number of motor vehicles in the county has increased by 13% since 1999, and the number of vehicle crashes has increased by 23%.  </div> <div> Sheriff Zylak showed a breakdown of how officers are deployed.  There are 62 officers assigned to patrol.  The rest are split among 18 others units, including one officer on military leave.  There are 106 deputies in total.  There are 5 squads on the road.  Each squad has a sergeant and a corporal.  Squads have been at minimum staffing 38% of the time.  All officers must spend 7 days, plus special training.  According to Woods and Poole, the County’s population has increased by 8% since 1999, and the number of State Police troopers has declined by 12%.   Since 1999 the number of authorized deputies has remained constant at 106.  St. Mary’s County is below the 10% State average, but the Board of Ed is above the State average.  He suggested that the goal for sworn officers should be at about 2.5 officers per 1000 inhabitants.  He thinks our 140 sworn officers should be 232 if we are to meet that goal.  </div> <div> He then proceeded to talk about rank structures.  </div> <div> He went on to talk about fleet problems.  LEGIT told them that having an older vehicle in service opens the door to litigation.  </div> <div> The detention center has experienced a rise in population.  The average is now 272. He thanked the BOCC for the $50,000 that was replaced in the detention center budget.  The Sheriff’s Office has an open house planned for May 15.  It will make application for accreditation in April of this year.  </div> <div> McKay said he thinks the Leonardtown State Police Barracks should get new positions.  Zylak said yes, but what is supposed to happen and what will happen is two different things.  McK questioned how the numbers were presented.  He noted that per capita expenditures for public spending.  In 2002 St. Mary’s County was 12<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >th</FONT> in the State and is in 12<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >th</FONT> in the State in every other way.  He thinks we may have moved to 11<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >th</FONT>, but he said we have to figure out where we should be.  He says our expenditures have increased 305 since 1999.  McK said the BOCC gave out 5 positions for court security and the high school security was pulled.  Zylak said he couldn’t begin the hiring process until after January 1, and 2 positions can’t even be advertised until April.  He noted that three deputies in the high schools can’t protect all 16,000 students in the public schools.  </div> <div> Mattingly said people can use the statistics however they want.  He thinks the important thing is the increase in response time.  He thinks response times are the important thing.  Zylak said he agrees that statistics could be interpreted in many ways, but the summary slides showed the increase.  He noted that court security is a new duty for the Sheriff’s office.  Mattingly said he doesn’t get to ride with deputies, when he hears about these things whenever he rides with an officer.  They could never build relationships in the community.  Zylak said those relationships solve crimes.  He continued to say that they need people and vehicles.  McK said they are asking for an increase of $3.5 million.  The 16.8% increase would require a tax increase of $200 per household, McK continued, and we are already right where we should be.  </div> <div> Comm Raley thanked the Sheriff for what our officers do.  He said his dilemma is that he is committed to the new rank structure, but looking at the budget which calls for a 4.7% increase, but doesn’t include a COLA, or COLA adjustment for pay equity for sworn deputies.  It doesn’t include the rank structure or financing for ne w cars.  If those items were included, the increase would be way above the 3.9% increase in revenues.  Maybe all the deputies should qualify for the DFC increase.  Zylak said the deputies don’t get the increase until their birthdays.  Zylak said this is what is needed, but we haven’t had a chance to work with a number.  Every dollar becomes a recruitment issue.  The grass is greener in Charles County.  Zylak noted that this is what is missing in public safety.  Our resources have been spread thin.  He said he doesn’t know where to find the money, but if we don’t find the money, services are going to have to be reduced.  McK noted that non sworn officers in the Sheriff’s Department in Charles County did not get an increase.  Zylak said the State Police Chief is rumored to have put in an 11% increase for his officers.  He later thanked God for the duty officer who dropped a code 13 when the communications center failed to.  </div> <div> McK questioned the increase of a Lieutenant to Captain.  He noted that in County Government they have tried to get fewer people at the top and more at the bottom to do the work. Zylak said you are not creating upward mobility.  McK said St. Mary’s County is of a size that it requires the staffing which exists.  He noted that we all said we would have to phase this in, and we have to start somewhere. </div> <div> Mattingly said he doesn’t think we are far enough along to determine what the needs are.  He thinks Zylak asked for all the needs.  Zylak said he disagrees.  </div> <div> They agreed the Sheriff would sit on the board to determine what cuts are needed.  Zylak said there will be a need to determine what should be done with the Detention Facility.  </div> <div> Commissioner time followed.  Comm Jarboe noted a memo from George Erichsen said that if times are to be changed, the time must be approved by the Board of Appeals. McK said they would make a note.  Comm Raley congratulated Buddy Raley on his 80<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >th</FONT> birthday and Joanne Woodburn had her 50<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >th</FONT> birthday.  They went into executive session.  It includes the Fairclough case and the Gallahon Waste Management case in litigation as well as personnel, then for boards and commissioners.  </div> </td> </tr></table></body>